


even longer

by betony



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Community: fma_fic_contest, Female Friendship, Gen, Headcanon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-30
Updated: 2013-06-30
Packaged: 2017-12-16 16:49:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/864327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betony/pseuds/betony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some things persist. Written for the FMA Fic Contest prompt 207, "best friends."</p>
            </blockquote>





	even longer

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by A. A. Milne.

“Free at last!” Rebecca whoops once they’re done with their last exam, drawing the attention of every cadet nearby, but she’s too excited to care. Riza hems and haws and makes noises about wanting to rest, but Rebecca can’t let that stand. It’s not every day they almost graduate from Eastern Military Academy, after all, and they _have_ to celebrate. 

So they do. Rebecca’s first suggestion is getting matching tattoos, especially since contrary to popular belief there are plenty of perfectly reasonable designs out there, even ones that don’t say something rude in Xingese, but Riza goes pale at the thought and puts her foot down. 

They go with Rebecca’s backup plan instead: getting their ears pierced together. 

“As long as we wear them, we’ll be best friends forever, no matter what!” crows Rebecca, already half-drunk on joy and relief. Her long blue earrings dangle down, catching the light in the periphery of her vision and making her laugh. 

“We will,” Riza echoes, feeling her small silver (completely boring and Riza-like) studs with a slight smile. 

Six months later, after the quiet, sad husk of Riza Hawkeye comes back from the war, Rebecca (who’s worked a relatively easy, safe, _shameful_ term) has nothing to say to the Eye of the Hawk. Then she looks over and notices Riza’s still wearing the silver studs. 

“You were the one who said it, Becca,” Riza explains when she asks. “As long as we wear them.” 

“Or longer," says Rebecca, and squeezes her hand.


End file.
